Mosaic took a break filling the sinkhole during the rainy season, but now around 80 workers are back at it, working around the clock to fill the hole.

Lead Civil Engineer Vaibhav Haldavnekar said crews are deep grouting near the aquifer, reinforcing the work that's already been done.

It has been a year and three months since the massive sinkhole opened up near Mulberry on Mosaic's property.

"We are working, and we are going to make sure we plug it, and plug it the right way so that our communities can rest in peace," Haldavnekar said.

In Sky 9 video, water is visible at the bottom of the crater. Mosaic said that is rainwater pooling up, proving the bottom of the hole has been plugged.

Machines are pumping that water out and pumping in more grout at an angle. So far, Mosaic officials said crews have pumped about 20,000 cubic yards of grout into the hole.

Mosaic initially said it would plug the sinkhole by June, but changed that timeline once it realized the sinkhole was actually about 80 to 100 feet wide, double the size the company initially thought it was. Haldavnekar said the soft soil also got in the way.

"We had sand which was running towards us the deeper we went," Haldavnekar explained.

With the new timeline also came a new price tag. Mosaic initially estimated it would cost around $50 million to plug the hole, but it now estimates the cost is closer to $83 million, according to Haldavnekar.

He said it's the most challenging project he has worked on, and the company still has no idea what caused the sinkhole.

Meanwhile, people living nearby said they appreciated the quarterly well testing offered this year.

"Far as the well testing, it's been great. The guys that do that, you couldn't ask for no better people," said James Corbett.

Corbett said he was informed his water was safe to drink.


So far, Mosaic officials said crews have pumped about 20,000 cubic yards of grout into the hole. (Stephanie Claytor, staff)

Mosaic said so far, it has been able to keep the contaminated water on site, and those well tests prove there haven't been any off-site impacts.

Corbett said he wished the company would send him letters or stop by to keep him informed on the work happening there. He said he was unaware of the company's online updates. He hopes there won't be anymore delays in plugging the hole.

"It's a bad situation," he said. "I'll be glad when they get it plugged. I will. But when they get it plugged, I still, I’m not going to drink that water," Corbett said.

Next year, Mosaic said it would reduce its off-site well testing to twice a year for people living within four miles of the sinkhole.